first contact
Reader eight states that she does need to “take a leap outside of her everyday life right now”.
She provides email address, phone number and links to evidence of herself.
Action: Assign reader eight an anonymous writer.
Action: Assign reader eight a character.
Reader eights’ character will be ‘the author’.
second contact
The style of reader eight’s email mirrors the one sent to her by the anon writer.
third contact
Reader eight again mirrors the style of the anon writer’s email, indicating her understanding of the unspoken format of the exchange.
Her story is started using her words as the opening sentence.
fourth contact
Reader eight continues to understand the process, adding to the story. She imagines the anon writer to be embarrassed by emotions, perhaps due to the distance anon writer has created between them.
fifth contact
Reader eights’ fifth contact appears critical. The response is within the unspoken format, directly addresses anon writer and is chiding in content.
sixth contact
Reader eight no longer adds to the growing story, but instead chooses to send short sentences. In her sixth exchange these sentences are less critical than in the fifth exchange. She also takes longer to reply this time (3 weeks), suggesting she is losing interest in the exchange.
seventh contact
Reader eight does not reply to the latest instalment of the story. Her story has now ended.
eighth contact
All Readers were sent an email signalling the end of the exchange. Reader eight states she has enjoyed the correspondence, knew there were others involved and is interested in learning their identities and that of anon writer.
ninth contact
11 May 2010 – all Readers are sent an email asking them to comment on the information contained on the ’skilful honesty’ webpages. It is the first time they have seen the story in full, been made aware of the other readers and been informed about the other covert aspects of the project. The Readers will be invited to suggest ways to continue/discontinue the project.